Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Dixfield ME

How to Select a Physical Therapy College near Dixfield 04224

Dixfield ME physical therapy school student with volunteerEarning a physical therapist degree near Dixfield ME is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are considering to make sure they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated along with cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Dixfield ME physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists practice in a variety of locations, including Dixfield ME private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

  • Osteoporosis and Arthritis
  • Car or motor cycle accidents
  • Strokes.
  • Heart attacks.
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
  • Burn injuries.
  • Hip Replacement.
  • Sciatica.
  • Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Dixfield ME health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Dixfield ME physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degrees that are offered in the Dixfield ME area:

  • Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the course of study.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important component in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Dixfield MEAlthough not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Dixfield ME home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition can be significantly lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding a few of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Dixfield ME area and throughout Maine, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you select the program that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited?  Ask if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online college, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Dixfield ME physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your program selections. It might also be prudent to contact the Maine Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Dixfield ME area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select provides both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Maine or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are assessing have associations with Dixfield ME clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Dixfield medical community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Dixfield ME home. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? The majority of DPT schools provide some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and see what type of help is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Dixfield ME area, check that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Dixfield Maine?

If you are planning on attending a Physical Therapy School in the Dixfield ME area, the following information may prove to be both interesting and educational regarding the location of your future Alma Mater.

Dixfield, Maine

Dixfield is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,550 at the 2010 census. The town motto of Dixfield is "The Only One" because it is the only town in the world to claim that name. Dr. Elijah Dix, a substantial landowner in the area, bought the town (and Dixmont) which bears his name.[4]

The Massachusetts General Court granted the township in 1789 to Colonel Jonathan Holman of Sutton, Massachusetts (now Millbury), an American Revolutionary War veteran, together with 25 others. In 1795, the first permanent settlers arrived with their families—John Marble, Gardner Brown, Amos Trask, Levi Newton, David Torrey and John Gould.[5] It was called Holmantown Plantation until part of it was incorporated on June 21, 1803 as Dixfield, the 147th town in Maine (the remainder of the plantation would be incorporated in 1818 as Mexico). Dr. Elijah Dix of Boston, a substantial landowner in the area, promised to donate a library for the town if the citizens changed its name from Holmantown to Dixfield. The citizens complied, after which the town received dusty old boxes of medical books printed in German.[6] Dr. Dix also left his name on Dixmont, where he died while visiting in 1809 and was buried.

With several streams for water power, Dixfield developed into a small mill town. It had sawmills and gristmills. It also produced cheese, carriages, shingles, toothpicks, rakes, wooden boxes, flies and leaders, boots and shoes. Dixfield once had a marble works.[7]

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Dixfield ME

Deciding on the right physical therapist school is an important first decision you have to make to begin a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are other relevant questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that numerous factors will lead you to your final decision. You may decide to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Dixfield ME.

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